Coupler-operating device



COUPLER OPERATING 'DEVICE FiledA July 2.' 192e Uf W Inventor:

CARTE o. GILrIN,OrnIvnRsIDE, ILLINOIS,` AssIGNOIz. 'ro VUNIONf'NrnrAL-y rBODUCIs COMPANY, 10F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE ``copri. i:It--oI` IaRAzrINe DEVICE Application mea 'my 2e,

l f'object of thek Vinvention yis to support Vthe innerf end ofthe revoluble rodof a cou "pler operatingdevice Isolely upon the coupler so that the coupler headmay move laterally and longitudinally ofthe .carin service with- 0ut affecting thejrelati'on of theV component "partsof the coupler Operating device, Awhere-l Thelocklifter` 4'protrudes `through and bythe eiective force transmitted l.bythe revolution ofthe o'peratingrod to thecoupler lock lifterv is neitherr increasednorj decreased `bytheiservice movements ofthe-coupler. f e "j Another object of the 'inventionfisto provi'demeans, supported solelyby the "coupler and held-inposition by the lock lifter, vto re-` ftainthe "operating rod in proper l Operative positionupon the coupler. In the drawings: y Fig. l shows a typical application of the deviceV toa car coupler.` f v -Fv`i, .2"isa front elevation of'Fig. 1. 1 Fig. Bris a plan view `of Fig. 1 showing also "a artofthe'car. f f q.

ig. `4 shows the relation ofthe partsof the operating device when the lock lifter of the coupler is in raised position. y -Fig. 5 shows the'relat'ion of the partsof "the operating devicey when the coupler is'in lock set position. f

Fig. 6 shows the relationo the lock lifterA eye and the link. 1. Figs. 7 and 8 show a modied form wherein theprojections kare formed lon a separate "m'ember. v A The standard vertical plane coupler (known as A. R. A. type). has a knuckle -2 "pivoted to the coupler heady Scand provided AWith a tail behind which-the lock is placed.

Yabove they coupler head and is' provided with a horizontally positioned eye. -Thisflock f liftereye is llf in diameter and its'axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal center of 1 the car.- This size and'position hasbeende-` termined vby ythe A. R. and is standard for the majority of couplers now in servlce.` `The `ing of the device.

"coupler 192s. serial No. @$95,426.

Vwithinwthe l@coupler head, such operation consisting of unlocking the knuckle, throw-j tion.` f.

The Preierred form of 'the devicelflcomprises an operating rod 6 revolubly mounted `in`ja bracket Ipositioned adjacent the side lofthecarandfhaving a handle 8. or other Y .means `rto .revolve it. The inner endofthis Y rod rests upon the coupler so that as the rod is revolved it' bears and .fulcrums solely upon the coupler (at 9). A ,preferably channel l5 1 link l0v straddles theupper portion ofthe yingthe knuckle: and assuming a lock set yposi-` j lock lifter 4 andis secured thereto by a hori-v r `zonta1 pin 11.forming a pivotaly connectionv therewith. The flanges of the channel linkf g loosely fit1 against the sidev walls of the lock lifter to prevent the link from moving laterally out of the vertical plane and the web of y the channel engages the back vportion ofthe klock lifter to prevent the link swinging back `vlrdly beyond alignment with the lock i ter.

This arrangement `may be called a knee connection and prevents the collaps- The operatingrod preferablybears on thev ehindthe lock lifter and iseXtended and formedso that a portion 12 thereofsis in iront' ofthe lock lifterand ya, strut 13 is vpivotally connected to this portion'12 ofJ thev operatingrod and to the` upper' portion of :thelink 10 so as to form aqiexibleconnection i therebetween. This strut 13 preferably has anelongated bearing l14; upon the operatingV rod to'assist in vretaining thecomponent partsy of the device in a substantially vertical plane so as to prevent them from collapsing.

co-pending application for patent, Serial No. 277 ,368, filed May 12, 1928, the `improvement consisting of thefprojection 30 positioned between the operating rod 6 and the lock lifter p This invention is an improvement upon# Vthe construction shown and claimed inv my will fnll'bygravity totlieir respective normal positions Whenreleased from their eX- treme elevated positions as showniin Fig. 4l

i. A further improvement upon the construction of application No; 277,368, filed May v12, 1928, consists in the use of the rear projection 31 which is ypositioned between the projection and the striking surface 32 ofthe go couplerhorn. Both projections 30 andl 3l am positioned between vthe striking surface '32 of the coupler horn and the lock lifter 4. This ro'ection prevents the rod 6 from slipping. ac beyond the coupler horn striking IU miette where it might beidnmaged. by being mashed between the coupler horn and `the Y adjacent part of the car 33. -A springcotter und other similar meansis used to retain the rod in itsaproper relation to the projec-l :hmcket.. yThis support-bracket comprises a aperture 44l which preferably fits snugly -lround @the .lock lifter. The projections ,4Q-41am .integral with the base plate 43 @and 'serve the 'same functions as projections i 3W-3L heretofore described. Vhen this `suppori-`bracket is in place and the 'operating device connected to the lock lifter, the bracket requires no otheriattachment to hold itin place, furthermore the operating rod 6 is imlways in proper relative position to the lock lifter. y g In the'operation of the device the operating rod 6 is revolved which raises the outer portion 12 thereof and through the medium l of the strut 13 raises the link 10 and pulls the lock lifter 4 up with it, as shown in Fig. 4. v. F ig. 5 shows therelation of the associated arts ,of the device when the coupler yis in .lock set. position, that is, when the lock lifter 4is retained in a 'raised position by parts within `the coupler and the operating `-l'odt 6 returnsto its normal position and the link 10- and strut 13 assume the positions ,drown v The portion 12 ofthe operating rod which `is positioned in front of the lock lifter prevents the operating rod from being revolved j too for, as shown in this Fig. 4;. furthermore, the knee connection (referred to above) prenntstbe- `llink 10 from falling backward.` il The relation of the associated parts issuch cases impossible) to raise the lock lifter. The

that, even though Worn,l it.- cannot horizontal base `plate 43 provided `with an `engaging the lock lifter and provided with a lifter andwith its upper end above the crank zarin, and a part of ie link.

comprising e. 0 i engaging the lock lifter and provided with n.

`.operating rod nlcurnaing betweenV said projections,

1,772,663 U f f i that when the handle 8 of the operating rod is released the rod will return to its normal position by gravity. The operating rod is bent, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the preponderance of weight will be on the outside of a. line drawn between the two supporting beerings (7 and 9) which causes a tendency for the handle to fall into substantially vertical position and the inner end of the operating rod to return to the horizontal position shown in Figa 1 and `5. Y j j I prefer to have the rankarnnp s lbstantially a horizontal position when the device is in normal position, as shown in Fig. 1.

Sonie dilculty has been experienced `Ik wearing of the parts-.within thecoupler ead permitting the lock lifter 4 to drop suilclently tocatc'h onthe interior wa1l45'and become wedged, making it difficult (and in extreme Vslopport-bracketr 39 (see Figs. 7-8`) has the further object of supporting the lock liitu' to Aa predetermined elevation (depending upon thethicknees ofthe base plate 43) `e0 bound withinthe coupler heed. 'Ihadevie` `can be applied without removing the lifter from the couplenor removing the 0perating device fromthe car.

The accompanying drawings lllwtmbatb f preferred form of thefmventioll, though It@ to be understood that the invention le not limited'to the exact details of eontlutlm shownuand described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof within the. scope ofthe claims willloccua` t0 poisons skilled in the art. i j

I claim 1. A device for operating a car coupler comprising a coupler lock litter, a bracket projection, a revoluble operating rodv fillcruming upon said bracket .behind the projection, said rod provided ,with a crank. arm, a link having a knee connection with the un strut pivotally connected to the operatinfr rod crank armand to the upper 2. A device for operating* .a `ooltpkl' u,

coupler lock lifter, a bracket pair of spaced apart projections, a revoluble upon said bucket said rod provided with a crank arm, a link having!)l c011- nection with the lock lifter and with its upper end above the crank arm, and a. strut pivot- `ally connected tothe operating rod crenkerm and tothe upper part of the link. 1u

3. `A device for operating a car coupler comprising a coupler lock lifter, a bucket engaging the lock lifter and providedr with a projection, a revoluble operating rod folcruining upon said bracket behind the proin normal position so as toI support the lock lifter in a predetermined elevation.

GARTH G. GILPIN. 

